Of game to biggest study into dementia ever – Metronieuws.nl

It may sound strange: a mobile game that grows to the largest study to dementia, until now. Yet that is what has happened with Sea Hero Quest. Scientists hope a breakthrough in the earlier detection of the disease.

In the game of living worldwide, 2.4 million people, between the icebergs. This is the navigation capability is very important. And leave a reduced navigation capability is now just one of the first signs of dementia.

Dates equal to 9400 years of research

The game was in may this year, launched by Alzheimer’s Research UK and has in just seven months time just as much usable data produced as 9400 (!) years of research in a laboratory would do. That writes The Guardian.

The first results were this week presented at a conference in San Diego by Hugo Spiers of London’s University College. “This is the only study of its kind, on this scale, until now,” he says. “The data is many times more accurate than that of previous research in this area. The findings that the game produces, have enormous potential," said the scientist.

Landmark

According to Spiers, it would be a milestone for dementia to be able to detect at an early stage, well before patients signs of memory loss exhibit. “This research gives us the opportunity to really make a difference in the lives of millions of people with dementia and the people who run the risk of the disease in the future.”

Average navigation capability

The game brings into focus what an average navigation capability is for a particular age and gender. Therefore, abnormalities can be noted. Previously, it was revealed that 19-year-olds – the youngest players of the game – 74 percent accurate in their targets to hit, while the oldest players, 75-year-olds, yet only 64 percent. Also notable: players in Scandinavian countries score, on average, a lot better than other nationalities.

The data will be in the next two years by scientists to be analysed. Would you like to contribute to this research? You can do that. The game is also in the Netherlands download.